Misuari not using Atyani to boost candidacy: MNLF

By Dharel Placido, ABS-CBNnews.com

MANILA, Philippines – The Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) on Friday denied that its leader, Nur Misuari, is involving the political organization in efforts to rescue kidnapped Jordanian Baker Atyani to boost his candidacy.

MNLF Spokesperson Atty. Emmanuel Fontanilla lambasted Rep. Rodolfo Biazon, chairman of the House Committee on National Defense and Security, for saying that the MNLF's move to rescue Atyani and other foreign nationals held by the Abu Sayyaf is politically motivated.

Misuari is running for governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao this coming election as an independent. He is running against ARMM officer-in-charge Mujiv Hataman of the Liberal Party and former Sultan Kudarat Rep. Pakung Mangudadatu of the United Nationalist Alliance.

"The former Senator Biazon should not in any way ascribe any motive to anybody... The presumption of the law is everybody is doing good. Sana po huwag po tayong ganun lahat. Iyan ang mali sa atin eh, na kapag may mabuting nagagawa ang tao lahat po [sinasabi na] may masamang intensyon."

Fontanilla added that the help the MNLF is giving to the government is a result of the 1976 Tripoli Agreement.

At least 22 MNLF and Abu Sayyaf bandits died in last Sunday's firefight, which allegedly erupted after negotiations to free Atyani failed.

Atyani still with Abu Sayyaf

Fontanilla also belied reports that Atyani had been released after the payment of a P100 million ransom even before his two Filipino companions, Rolando Letrero and Ramel Vela, were freed last Saturday.

"As of this time, ang latest namin na information - our commanders actually saw the Jordanian but they were not able to get him saka nakatakas po sila kasama ng mga Abu Sayyaf."

After announcing on Wednsday that the MNLF now has in its custody three kidnapped foreigners, Fontanilla said the political organization has decided to withhold information for the time being due to the "sensitivity" of the matter.

The military earlier denied that the al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf had released the three foreigners to the MNLF.